Bangladesh thrashes Bahrain 7-0 in Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers opener

Bangladesh women’s football team kicked off their AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers campaign with a resounding 7-0 victory over Bahrain in Yangon, Myanmar on Sunday.

The Tigresses held a dominant 5-0 lead at halftime, added two more goals in the second half to seal their dominating win.

Despite Bahrain’s significantly higher FIFA ranking of 92 compared to Bangladesh’s 128, Bahrain proved no match for the Bangladeshi side. Bangladesh dominated possession and launched relentless attacks throughout the game, leaving Bahrain with minimal offensive opportunities.

Bangladesh opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Following a defensive stop, a long ball from the Bangladeshi half found forward Shamsunnahar expertly received it, dribbled into the box and chipped the ball over the onrushing Bahraini goalkeeper to find the net, igniting celebrations on the Bangladeshi dugout.

Just five minutes later, spectators at Yangon Stadium witnessed a spectacular goal from Rituporna Chakma. She receved a long cross from the left flank then bypassed a defender before taking a powerful angled shot. This took Bangladesh’s lead to 2-0.

In the 42nd minute, from a corner kick, Kohadi Kisku’s shot through a goalmouth scramble found the back of Bahrain’s net, extending Bangladesh’s lead to 3-0.

In the four minutes of first-half injury time, Tohura Khatun unleashed a scoring spree, netting two goals within a three-minute span to give Bangladesh a commanding 5-0 lead at the break.

In the second half, Bangladesh continued their scoring spree. In the 60th minute, Shamsunnahar scored her second goal of the match.

Munki then added the team’s seventh goal in the 75th minute. While Bangladesh pressed for more goals in the remaining time, the scoreline remained 7-0.

Bangladesh is placed in Group C of the Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers. In another Group C match held earlier of the day at the same venue, hosts Myanmar defeated Turkmenistan 8-0.

The upcoming match between Bangladesh and Myanmar on July 2 will likely determine which team from Group C advances to next year’s tournament in Australia.